A battery-powered node within a wireless mesh network performs energy-aware packet routing based on multiple factors. The battery powered node computes, for a given link to an adjacent node, the energy needed to transmit a packet to the adjacent node. The battery-powered node also determines the amount of battery energy remaining in the adjacent node. Based on these two factors, the battery powered node computes a link cost associated with the link to the adjacent node. The battery-powered node performs a similar computation for all adjacent nodes and then forwards packets via these adjacent nodes based on the associated link costs. The battery-powered node also maintains a table of routes through adjacent nodes, and reroutes packets through different adjacent nodes in response to link failures.
H04W 40/10 - Sélection d'itinéraire ou de voie de communication, p.ex. routage basé sur l'énergie disponible ou le chemin le plus court sur la base des ressources nodales sans fil sur la base de la puissance ou de l'énergie disponible
H04W 40/22 - Sélection d'itinéraire ou de voie de communication, p.ex. routage basé sur l'énergie disponible ou le chemin le plus court utilisant la retransmission sélective en vue d'atteindre une station émettrice-réceptrice de base [BTS Base Transceiver Station] ou un point d'accès
2.
COMPENSATING FOR OSCILLATOR DRIFT IN WIRELESS MESH NETWORKS
A battery powered node within a wireless mesh network maintains a mapping between temperature and oscillator drift and compensates for oscillator drift based on this mapping. When the mapping includes insufficient data points to map the current temperature to an oscillator drift value, the battery powered node requests calibration packets from an adjacent upstream node in the network. The adjacent node transmits two calibration packets with a transmit time delta and also indicates this time delta in the first calibration packet. The battery powered node receives the two calibration packets and measures the receive time delta. The battery powered node compares the transmit time delta to the receive time delta to determine oscillator drift compared to an oscillator in the adjacent node. The battery powered node then updates the mapping based on the current temperature and determined oscillator drift.
G08C 15/00 - Dispositions caractérisées par l'utilisation du multiplexage pour la transmission de plusieurs signaux par une voie commune
G08C 19/16 - Systèmes de transmission de signaux électriques dans lesquels la transmission est par impulsions
H02J 13/00 - Circuits pour pourvoir à l'indication à distance des conditions d'un réseau, p.ex. un enregistrement instantané des conditions d'ouverture ou de fermeture de chaque sectionneur du réseau; Circuits pour pourvoir à la commande à distance des moyens de commutation dans un réseau de distribution d'énergie, p.ex. mise en ou hors circuit de consommateurs de courant par l'utilisation de signaux d'impulsion codés transmis par le réseau
H04L 7/033 - Commande de vitesse ou de phase au moyen des signaux de code reçus, les signaux ne contenant aucune information de synchronisation particulière en utilisant les transitions du signal reçu pour commander la phase de moyens générateurs du signal de synchronisation, p.ex. en utilisant une boucle verrouillée en phase
3.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICATING BETWEEN PRIVATE MESH NETWORK AND PUBLIC NETWORK
A wireless communication system includes a first wireless network having first nodes each assigned a unique first address, a second wireless network having second nodes each assigned a unique second address, a border router node constituting an interface between the second network and a third wireless network, and at least one access point constituting an interface between the first and third networks. At least one of the first nodes is a mesh router node in the first network and a border router node in the second network (MR/BR node). The MR/BR node has unique addresses respectively assigned in the first and second networks. The MR/BR node receives a communication in the first network and transmits it to at least one second node in the second network. The MR/BR node receives a communication in the second network and transmits it to at least one first node in the first network.
H04L 12/28 - Réseaux de données à commutation caractérisés par la configuration des liaisons, p.ex. réseaux locaux [LAN Local Area Networks] ou réseaux étendus [WAN Wide Area Networks]
H04W 4/00 - Services spécialement adaptés aux réseaux de télécommunications sans fil; Leurs installations
H04W 80/00 - Protocoles de réseaux sans fil ou adaptations de protocoles à un fonctionnement sans fil
4.
EFFICIENT INTERNET-OF-THINGS DEVICE CONFIGURATION VIA QUICK RESPONSE CODES
A central controller is configured to obtain a scan of a quick response (QR) code affixed to an internet-of-things (IoT) device. The central controller decodes the QR code to extract various operating parameters associated with the IoT device. The central controller then provisions a device controller for coordinating operation of the IoT device. The central controller configures the device controller based on the operating parameters, thereby allowing the device controller to coordinate operations of the IoT device in a device-specific manner. The central controller may then install the device controller on the IoT device, or cause the device controller to coordinate IoT device operations across a network. With this approach, a technician is no longer required to manually obtain IoT device operating parameters or input those parameters to a central controller, thereby streamlining the IoT device installation process.
A wireless mesh network includes a mesh of continuously-powered devices (CPDs) and a mesh of battery-powered devices (BPDs). The BPDs are organized into hop layers based on hopping distance to the mesh of CPDs. In a medium latency communication mode, a given BPD receives data during a receive window that is scheduled to occur within either the first half of a communication window or the second half of the communication window, depending on the parity of the hop layer where the BPD resides. With this approach, a data packet can traverse one hop of the BPD mesh per communication window. In a low-latency communication mode, a given BPD receives and transmits data according to an alternating pattern that depends on the parity of the hop layer where the node resides. With this technique, a data packet can traverse multiple hops of the BPD mesh within a single communication window. These techniques also are applicable to CPDs and other types of nodes as well.
A wireless mesh network includes a mesh of continuously-powered devices (CPDs) and a mesh of battery-powered devices (BPDs). The BPDs are organized into hop layers based on hopping distance to the mesh of CPDs. The CPDs transmit time beacons to BPDs in a first hop layer during a first receive window associated with the first hop layer. The BPDs in the first hop layer then transmit time beacons to BPDs in a second hop layer during a second receive window. In this manner, the wireless mesh network propagates time values throughout the BPD mesh. Based on these time values, the BPDs power on during short time intervals to exchange data with neighboring BPDs, and then power off for longer time intervals, thereby conserving battery power. The techniques described herein for conserving battery power for BPDs may also be applied to conserve power consumption of CPDs.
To provide overall security to a utility management system, critical command and control messages that are issued to components of the system are explicitly approved by a secure authority. The explicit approval authenticates the requested action and authorizes the performance of the specific action indicated in a message. Key components of the utility management and control system that are associated with access control are placed in a physical bunker. With this approach, it only becomes necessary to bunker those subsystems that are responsible for approving network actions. Other management modules can remain outside the bunker, thereby avoiding the need to partition them into bunkered and non-bunkered components. Access to critical components of each of the non-bunkered subsystems is controlled through the bunkered approval system.
H02J 13/00 - Circuits pour pourvoir à l'indication à distance des conditions d'un réseau, p.ex. un enregistrement instantané des conditions d'ouverture ou de fermeture de chaque sectionneur du réseau; Circuits pour pourvoir à la commande à distance des moyens de commutation dans un réseau de distribution d'énergie, p.ex. mise en ou hors circuit de consommateurs de courant par l'utilisation de signaux d'impulsion codés transmis par le réseau
H02B 99/00 - Matière non prévue dans les autres groupes de la présente sous-classe
G06Q 50/06 - Fourniture d'électricité, de gaz ou d'eau
G06F 21/30 - Authentification, c. à d. détermination de l’identité ou de l’habilitation des responsables de la sécurité
E03B 1/02 - Procédés ou tracés d'installations d'alimentation en eau pour alimentation publique ou alimentation d'ensemble similaire
H04L 9/32 - Dispositions pour les communications secrètes ou protégées; Protocoles réseaux de sécurité comprenant des moyens pour vérifier l'identité ou l'autorisation d'un utilisateur du système
8.
PHYSICALLY SECURED AUTHORIZATION FOR UTILITY APPLICATIONS
To provide overall security to a utility management system, critical command and control messages that are issued to components of the system are explicitly approved by a secure authority. The explicit approval authenticates the requested action and authorizes the performance of the specific action indicated in a message. Key components of the utility management and control system that are associated with access control are placed in a physical bunker. With this approach, it only becomes necessary to bunker those subsystems that are responsible for approving network actions. Other management modules can remain outside the bunker, thereby avoiding the need to partition them into bunkered and non-bunkered components. Access to critical components of each of the non-bunkered subsystems is controlled through the bunkered approval system.
H02J 13/00 - Circuits pour pourvoir à l'indication à distance des conditions d'un réseau, p.ex. un enregistrement instantané des conditions d'ouverture ou de fermeture de chaque sectionneur du réseau; Circuits pour pourvoir à la commande à distance des moyens de commutation dans un réseau de distribution d'énergie, p.ex. mise en ou hors circuit de consommateurs de courant par l'utilisation de signaux d'impulsion codés transmis par le réseau
G06Q 50/06 - Fourniture d'électricité, de gaz ou d'eau
G06F 21/30 - Authentification, c. à d. détermination de l’identité ou de l’habilitation des responsables de la sécurité
E03B 1/02 - Procédés ou tracés d'installations d'alimentation en eau pour alimentation publique ou alimentation d'ensemble similaire
H04L 9/06 - Dispositions pour les communications secrètes ou protégées; Protocoles réseaux de sécurité l'appareil de chiffrement utilisant des registres à décalage ou des mémoires pour le codage par blocs, p.ex. système DES
H04L 9/30 - Clé publique, c. à d. l'algorithme de chiffrement étant impossible à inverser par ordinateur et les clés de chiffrement des utilisateurs n'exigeant pas le secret
H04L 12/22 - Dispositions pour interdire la prise de données sans autorisation dans un canal de transmission de données
9.
DETERMINING ELECTRIC GRID ENDPOINT PHASE CONNECTIVITY
The service phase of the electrical connection to a customer endpoint device located within a power distribution system is determined by various techniques. At the feeder level, the system may be programmed to induce momentary power interruptions, thereby causing missed zero crossings at the customer endpoint devices. The pattern of these interruptions is a controlled one, designed specifically to avoid causing noticeable disruption even to sensitive devices, but to be unusual enough that it is statistically unlikely to be naturally occurring. The monitoring of the zero crossing information is used to determine the phase of the service line to the customer endpoint devices.
G01R 29/18 - Indication de la séquence des phases; Indication du synchronisme
H02J 13/00 - Circuits pour pourvoir à l'indication à distance des conditions d'un réseau, p.ex. un enregistrement instantané des conditions d'ouverture ou de fermeture de chaque sectionneur du réseau; Circuits pour pourvoir à la commande à distance des moyens de commutation dans un réseau de distribution d'énergie, p.ex. mise en ou hors circuit de consommateurs de courant par l'utilisation de signaux d'impulsion codés transmis par le réseau
10.
MULTI-PROTOCOL NETWORK REGISTRATION AND ADDRESS RESOLUTION
The functionality of communications standards and protocols that are application-layer specific are overlaid on an IP -based infrastructure, by employing an IP DNS server as the registration host for IP and other communications standards based and protocol based communications. Communication can occur at either the IP layer or the communications standards or protocol application layer. At the IP layer, a host application can interrogate network nodes. To extend this service to other communications standards or protocol communications, device registration and resolve services are implemented on the DNS server. Similar to the manner in which an IP -based service uses a native, IP -based DNS resolve request, a host can utilize a resolution request against the communications standards and protocol- enabled DNS server for standards and protocol application-layer interrogation of endpoints.
H04L 61/103 - Correspondance entre adresses de types différents à travers les couches réseau, p.ex. résolution d’adresse de la couche réseau dans la couche physique ou protocole de résolution d'adresse [ARP]
H04L 61/4511 - Répertoires de réseau; Correspondance nom-adresse en utilisant des protocoles normalisés d'accès aux répertoires en utilisant le système de noms de domaine [DNS]
11.
CREATION AND USE OF UNIQUE HOPPING SEQUENCES IN A FREQUENCY-HOPPING SPREAD SPECTRUM (FHSS) WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
A method for generating and using frequency-hopping sequences in frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) networks, such that no additional network overhead is required to convey a device's hopping sequence to another device, is disclosed. Furthermore, a method to maximize the number of unique hopping sequences, without increasing the random access memory (RAM) requirements on the network devices, is disclosed.
A method and system for providing a network and routing protocol for utility services are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises discovering a utility network, wherein a utility device (for example, a constant powered meter) sends network discovery messages to find the utility network. Neighboring meters are discovered and the device listens for advertised routes for one or more networks from the neighbors. The device is then registered with one or more utility networks, receiving a unique address for each network registration. Also illustrated in this invention disclosure is how each device of a class of devices (for example, battery powered meter) finds and associates itself with another device (for example, constant powered meter). The constant powered meter also registers its associate battery powered meter with the utility networks. The constant powered meter registers itself with the access points and the upstream nodes in the path out of each network. Each upstream node can independently make forwarding decisions on both upstream and downstream packets i.e. choose the next hop according to the best information available to it. The constant powered meter can sense transient link problems, outage problems, and traffic characteristics. It uses the information to find the best route out of and within each network. Each network device thus maintains multi-egress, multi-ingress network routing options both for itself and the device(s) associated with it.
One example embodiment provides a method and system where a node in a utility network registers with one or more access point devices associated with one or more local area utility networks. The utility node generates a unique network address using a network address prefix of a network address associated with the access point device. The utility node registers with a DNS server. Messages sent to the utility node are routed through the access point corresponding to the received prefix used to generate the unique network address for the utility node. The network address for the utility node and access point may be IPv6 addresses and the network address prefix may be an IPv6 prefix, or may be an IPv4 address.
The present invention provides a system including a utility network including a product distribution pathway for delivering a product, a plurality of electronic utility devices associated with the utility network to monitor at least one parameter associated with the product distribution pathway, and a management processor in communication with the devices and operable to poll at least a subset of the electronic utility devices in response to an input to evaluate performance of one of the utility network and the system in response to information relating to the at least one parameter. The evaluation can include a rule-based analysis of one of the parameter and the information relating to the parameter.
H02J 13/00 - Circuits pour pourvoir à l'indication à distance des conditions d'un réseau, p.ex. un enregistrement instantané des conditions d'ouverture ou de fermeture de chaque sectionneur du réseau; Circuits pour pourvoir à la commande à distance des moyens de commutation dans un réseau de distribution d'énergie, p.ex. mise en ou hors circuit de consommateurs de courant par l'utilisation de signaux d'impulsion codés transmis par le réseau